Just Don’t Do It
Olivia Yi (ISB G10)
Olivia, a Buddy! staff writer, has tried freshman year and is working her way through sophomore year, but she is still trying to figure out what to do with life. Yet, she wishes others to stop suffering from the past and focus on the future.
In her article, she provides helpful and empowering advice on giving up if what you’re doing is not worthwhile.
Just Do It is the famous Nike logo that every recognizes. Media, whether it be through books or movies, tells us to never give up and keep trying no matter what. This statement is to some extent true, but it may not always be the case. It is difficult to identify whether to give up or not due to the pressure society puts on us. Being persistent is important, but letting things go and moving on is also an essential part of our lives. For all the lost souls out there looking for advice on whether to surrender to failure, here are few words of guidance: human make mistakes. If the mistake benefitted you in a positive way, then learn from it and use it for future reference. If not, then forgive, but do not forget: move on and do not linger in the past.
(Courtesy of behance.net)
One of the most conflicting topics is whether to agonize over (romantic or any other kind of) a relationship. Yet, one advice is to see whether you like the way you are changing around that person: are you becoming more confident or mentally exhausted? If it is the latter case, it should raise an alarm that you should move away and perhaps find an another path. So leave them. Do not stay and try to fix them by words, it will only exhaust you both mentally and physically. Prioritize yourself and if you feel exhausted, maybe it is a sign and look at the bigger picture. Take a step back to see if maybe you were too caught up in the moment, forgetting your surroundings and perhaps even yourself. In any situation, don’t beat yourself up by thinking that the negativity started from you.
Think of it as an opportunity, a chance that life gives you to filter anything that can harm you before you hit the rock bottom, since it is harder to come up the surface once you hit the floor. Especially in terms of human relationships, it is much more difficult to decide as there is the fear of regretting the they choice made or not. A piece of advice I received from one of my closest friends when I was struggling with the same issue is, ”whatever decisions you make, it will always be the right one” and “if it were truly meant to be yours, then it will come back”. There isn’t any “correct“ answer since my choice is the correct answer. I am the one that needs to chose what is best for me physically and mentally: no relationship or goal equals the worth of my own identity.
“no relationship or goal equals the worth of my own identity.”
While making decisions is important, it is also critical to consider your priority especially regarding the aftermath. A famous quote by Russian proverb reads “If you chase two rabbits, you will not catch either one.” Say that you want to relax in high school before becoming an adult and going out to the “real world”. However, there is also the consideration of school with an endless list of GPA, SAT, CAS, IB and much more. There is an opportunity cost in this situation. Whatever decision one makes, it is not possible to fulfill all wants: there would be a sacrifice made. If one were to study hard during high school, then they are missing the opportunity to discover oneself and explore the world before becoming adults. However, there would be regretfulness if one were to give up their academic aspect of high school. Unlike the situation of relationship, there isn’t a clear choice that can be made; both of these aspects have equal importance. The only advice that could be possibly be given is this: learn to balance it. For example, work hard during weekdays but give yourself a break at the end. Perhaps on a Friday evening or during the weekend: play sports, watch Youtube, sleep, anything that helps you relax and heal. Take time to reflect on the past five days and adjust future goals for the weekends: it can also motivate you to work harder as there is a reward system going on.
(Courtesy of medium.com)
In science, there needs to be at least three trials for an experiment to increase reliability. Before letting go, try at lease three times. For the first time, try it once. If it fails, then using the lesson you learned from you first attempt, try it again. If it fails for the second time, try it again for the last time. If it does not work the third time, then it isn’t your path, it does not fit you, and move on. However, there are case when these trials are not offered such as a test that can not be retaken or a project that determines the final grade. A strong suggestion is life isn’t just a one decision-making game, it is a long distance run. If you have not meet your expectations on a test, that learn from it. There will always be disappointment on any choice, so let the past go. Do not sit and blame yourself: it does not benefit you educationally or mentally in any way. Instead, learn to improve and use the lessons to do better next time. If one were to look back and mourn over the loss of regretfulness, then it is refusing to see the hopeful truth. There are such more open opportunities: life is too short to just look at mistakes. Accept your past and develop redeem your guilt from past error. It is never too late yet never too early to mature into the person that you have always yearn for. The only person that can save you from misery and grift is yourself, and only yourself.
